Uprising Of A Distant Land
by SilvaStar2014
Summary: "Have you ever heard of a Goron called Darmani?" Hyrule is in an Age of Prosperity but Link still senses danger despite the doubts of many around him. When news one day arrives that a Goron named Darmani is in Hyrule, it causes a panic amongst the Gorons. Is Darmani a threat to the peaceful way of life Hyruleans enjoy?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone! This is my first fic, hope you all enjoy it!**

Lying on the grass in the middle of his hometown looking at the bright blue sky as he always did just didn't feel the same this time even though everything looked the same. The golden sun beat down on him and his basked in its warmth. The goats were happily feeding in the pastures. The children were all as hyperactive as usual and enjoying their youth. The adults continued to make their modest living in the countryside, surviving peacefully in their little corner of the world. Everything was as carefree and relaxing as it had been before the Twilight War four years ago. But nothing felt the same for him. To him, it was too carefree and too relaxing.

"_Something is wrong…" _he thought to himself as he watched the clouds slowly pass by over his head and the wind blew briskly through his hair. There was a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach as he knew something was wrong in the world even though no official word had come from the Royal Family and even though everything seemed normal. Part of him thought he was being paranoid but then a larger part just couldn't shake this uneasy feeling.

"Still lazing around here then?" came the warm voice of his old friend and mentor. "Link, you really need to find something constructive to do with your time," Rusl smiled and took a seat next to him. Link sighed and sat up to face his friend.

"I came here to rest…" he whispered in reply.

"I know. We're happy to see you on one of your rare visits back to this village. But I suppose…" Rusl trailed and then looked to the children, who had half of their attention focused on their games and the other half focused on Link. "I suppose that we were expecting you to spend more time with us rather than hiding out up here." They were sat on the grass above Sera's shop where Link watched the birds fly above his head. It was like he was listening out for something, anything that the birds were doing that would signal something was wrong.

"I'm sorry…" Link sighed. "I'm just a little bit distracted I guess." He wasn't sure how he was supposed to tell anyone how he was feeling. After all, he shouldn't have been feeling anything was wrong. Everything was perfect as far as everyone else was concerned.

"You haven't spoken much about your travels this time around. Usually you have to tale to tell about some distant part of Hyrule or the monsters that needed clearing away," Rusl said. Link kept his eyes fixed to the birds in the sky while he thought of his response.

"Nothing special happened this time around," he mumbled.

"But?" Rusl then asked hopefully. Link was silent for a moment longer before finally saying anything.

"I really don't know," he laughed helplessly.

"If something is wrong please don't feel like you can't talk about it," Rusl said, encouraging the boy to open up about his worries.

"It's really not worth talking about," Link sighed. Rusl thought he had him figured out. He thought he knew exactly what was on the boy's mind.

"Who is she Link?" Rusl asked. Link's eyes snapped open and he stared at his friend in confusion.

"What?" he gaped. "What does that mean?"

"I know you're growing up and that you're not a child anymore. And I know that you must have met a lot of people in your travels. I'm sure there are many young women out there dying to get a look at the famous Hero of Hyrule," Rusl grinned. Link let out an exasperated sigh and looked back up in the sky, at the hawk circling the skies of Ordon.

"It's not like that at all," he said.

"Is it not? Four years ago you were a carefree 16 year old boy, content with your way of life and with modest dreams. You knew nothing of the outside world and you were happy to keep it that way. You had everything you needed here in Ordon. You had work to do and people to protect. You didn't even need to travel far if you wanted to find a wife," Rusl said and then looked in Ilia's direction. She too had been paying serious attention to Link and Rusl alongside the children.

"I wasn't looking for a wife then and I'm not looking for a wife now," Link stated.

"That may not have changed but you certainly have," Rusl said. "Now that you've seen the world out there and all the other people who you know need help, you can't stay here anymore. Before when you came to visit you still had that warm relationship with Ilia. Over time that changed. Every time you've come back over the last four years, you've grown more and more distant. This time you barely even greeted her. What's the matter Link?"

"I barely greeted anyone to be fair…" Link retorted and then sighed again. "It's nothing about a woman. It's… something else…"

"Is working for the Royal Family really that stressful?" Rusl laughed, trying to lighten his mood.

"No, I like it just fine," he replied. "But… well if I tell you it will sound stupid."

"Tell me," Rusl insisted. Link sat quietly for a moment more and then Ilia and the children finally caught his attention. It finally clicked in his mind just how distant he had been from everyone on this visit. It had been the first time he'd seen everyone in over five months and he had barely managed a 'hello' to them.

"I've been all around this world and it's more peaceful now than it's ever been," Link said as he stood up. Rusl noticed the dire expression on his face.

"But you still think something is wrong?" Rusl asked. Link slowly nodded.

"For now I had better make it up to everyone," he said and then turned to descend the ledge.

"Link," Rusl called before he leapt down. "I'll contact our old friends. They may know something you don't." Link smiled in thanks and then jumped down to face the children. Even though they had grown, they still joyfully surrounded him and idealized him just as they did before. They hadn't noticed the change in him. To them he was just tired from his travels and needed some rest. To them he was still their Link, their big brother and hero. The adults decided to leave it that way. They decided to preserve their memory of the kind, loving boy who always had time for them and cared for them. All of them watched as he smiled and greeted the children, apologising for being tired and promising to tell the stories of his adventures. In an instant he was forgiven and the children forgot all about his distant attitude.

"The joys of being a child," Ilia whispered as she watched the children excitedly tell Link all that had been going on in his months away, such as Talo growing an extra two inches, Malo's every growing chain of Malo Marts, Colin's new skills with his sword, the new words Colin's younger sister had learned or Beth's new hairstyles.

"Be patient with him," Bo smiled to Ilia as he took her side. "You know everything that boy has done for this village and indeed for the whole of Hyrule. It's quite possible he's seen some horrible things that have disturbed him. You must give him some time to overcome any feelings of sadness he may have, as well as any feelings of tiredness."

"I know…" Ilia smiled. "I know all of that. But I don't think any of that is the problem…" Bo nodded silently in agreement. The mask Link was wearing for the children was flawless. Had he walked in the village with such an expression he would have fooled everyone into thinking everything was okay. She worried greatly about him and what exactly it was that was on his mind. Epona was stood nearby them at the water's edge, relaxing after their long journey. Ilia wished the horse could talk. She wished she could understand exactly what he had seen in the world that had disturbed him so much. She hoped she would get an opportunity to speak to him before the day was out but for now she had to loan him out to the children. He had given his attention to them for the time being and that was how it was going to stay.

Nighttime in Ordon was always a very peaceful time. The owls cooed, the crickets chirped, the sound of the river was unpolluted with children's laughs and you could almost hear the goats settling down to sleep. Link sat on the edge of the ladder to his home looking up at the stars.

"It's so quiet out there Epona," he muttered to his horse. "Why can't I shake this feeling?" Epona's eyes bore into him and she felt her master's uneasiness. In a strange way she too felt the invisible disruption in the air. The night was just as peaceful as the day with no disturbance to be had. Soon enough, the sound of nature was interrupted by footsteps approaching Link's house. He sensed no danger from those footsteps and neither did Epona. It was almost as though he knew exactly who was approaching without having to look.

"I thought you'd be awake," Ilia smiled as she approached. Link looked to her and softly smiled. Ilia stared back at him and felt a moment of happiness. It had been so long since it had just been the two of them smiling together and keeping each other company.

"It's late. You should be asleep," Link said. Ilia laughed and climbed the ladder to join him.

"You can talk," she grinned. Link smiled once more before turning away and looking back up at the stars.

"It's so quiet…" he said again and a look of sadness shot into his eyes.

"What's the matter Link?" Ilia asked. "What happened out there? Why are you in so much pain?" Link closed his eyes and sighed at the sound of her words. Once again his feelings were being misunderstood but while he trusted Rusl to understand his feelings of uneasiness, he did not believe Ilia would.

"Nothing happened out there," he replied and it was the truth.

"You're lying," she whispered. "I've never seen you so sad or so troubled. Something must have happened to you out in that world. What was it? What can I do to help you?" she pleaded, begging him to let her into his world that she was no longer part of.

"The worst of it happened four years ago but then you already know that part of the story," he replied, attempting to ease her worries. "You also experienced a great deal of pain in that time."

"Are you… troubled by something that happened during the Twilight War?" she asked. Link closed his eyes and thought back to all that had happened during the Twilight War. The people he'd helped, the new friends he made, the evils he faced and the close friend he would never see again. None of it troubled him. He was the type of guy that would help out a person in need with no questions asked. He cherished the new friends he made, whether they were villagers of Hyrule, Gorons, Zoras or Princesses. He had long accepted his role of the chosen hero and the responsibility he had. He had no problem with it. And his close friend did what was necessary for both worlds. Of course he missed his old companion but he knew she had done what was best.

"No. I'm at peace with all of it," he replied. Ilia bit her lip in frustration and groaned. Link felt a knot in his stomach as he felt guilty for what he was putting his dear friend through. He didn't mean to make her feel like she couldn't help him or that he was pushing her out of his life.

"Then what's the matter?" she once again asked. "Is it your line of work? Is your boss overworking you? Are you sick?" Link chuckled to himself at her words. Ilia was never comfortable about who his boss was. She assumed he was pretty good friends with his boss and it made her uneasy. But with all that aside, he knew he needed to tell her the truth. He knew he needed to put her mind at ease.

"It's like I keep saying: Nothing is wrong. But that's the problem," he sighed.

"W-what?" she stuttered, failing to understand him.

"This village is peaceful. The world is peaceful. But my mind and my heart are not. I just… keeping feeling something is wrong. It's almost like it's too peaceful," he told her. Ilia stared at him and tried to understand what he was saying.

"So you're saying… Nothing happened out there? There no trauma or sadness or any painful feelings within you?" she said.

"I will never forget the things that I have seen in this world," Link clarified. He couldn't say he didn't feel _any _sadness or pain for the people in Hyrule who had suffered over the years. "But it's not what's happened over the years that is disturbing me. It's what's happening now. I just can't escape this feeling of uneasiness. Something is going on out there. I can feel it."

"Whenever you visit us here, you never stay long. You come and go as fast as the wind blows," Ilia whispered. Link looked at her again and saw that seething anger in her eyes.

"What do you mean?" he asked, wondering what he'd said that had upset her.

"You've always got some excuse to leave. There's always someone in need, some great monster that needs to be subdued, some big errand Her Majesty needs you to run for her…" Ilia said. Link caught on to what she was saying.

"This will always be my home Ilia," he quickly said.

"You say that…" she said. "But you never seem to want to be here. Even now when the danger is the world is practically gone and you could return home to us you're still looking for a reason to go!" Link was shocked to hear her words. He had no idea where she would get an idea like that from.

"What are you talking about? It's not like that at all!" he protested.

"You said it yourself! Nothing is going on in the world! Why are you wishing something would go wrong?" she demanded. Epona soon let out a shriek to stop their argument. Ilia was breathless after her outburst while Link just stared at her in surprise.

"How can you say I'm wishing for something to go wrong?" Link whispered, looking to the ground in disgust. "I would never wish the pain and suffering from the past on anyone ever again…" Ilia lost her breath at the sound of the those and realised what she had just accused him of.

"I-I'm sorry!" she stammered. "I just… I just thought when peace returned that you would come back to us… That you would… Come back to me…" she said and then looked at him hopefully. She wanted him to react to that, she wanted him to tell her he would be back in her arms again and that he would never leave again and he knew that was what she wanted. He closed his eyes in regret and let out a deep sigh.

"I understand," he murmured and then opened his eyes and looked deep in hers. Her heart skipped a beat as she waited for him to say something more. "But I'm sorry." He couldn't find anything else in his mind to say. He didn't know what else to say. He didn't know how to explain that he for now he couldn't stay with her and that he didn't know if he'd ever be able to. He watched as her heart beat out in pain but didn't quite break. She was angry, she was disappointed but she wasn't heartbroken. Somehow she thought that the day of peace she spoke of would still come and that he would still return home. She had to keep that hope. But she could say nothing more to him for tonight. She scuttled down the ladder and ran home, fighting back the tears while doing so. Link watched her run and buried his face in his hands. He wished he could go back to being the person he was four years ago, the person that she wanted him to be but the Twilight War had changed him beyond repair. He would never be that person again. His world was never going to be the same again.

While he slept through the night, an odd sensation came over him. He wasn't sure what it was but then he thought he had felt it before. He swiftly sat up when he heard a faint noise in his home and wondered who had come in.

"_Ilia wouldn't come in now… Would she? No, not after what happened… Then who is in here?" _he thought and lay back down on his bed. It definitely felt like someone was in the room with him. He didn't sense enough danger to react and tried to go back to sleep but he wasn't able to drift back into a peaceful sleep after that.

**First chapter over! Tell me what you think? :D  
>Until next time!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2! Time to move things along a bit!**

As the sun rose over Ordona Province that morning, the villagers returned to life as normal. Ilia was putting a brave face on and refusing to think about what had happened the night before. The children were as oblivious as always and they happily sat alongside her as she taught them their lessons for the day. She didn't know how she ended up becoming the village's school teacher but it didn't bother her. She loved that the children knew how to read because of her or that they could solve mathematics problems thanks to her. It gave her a great deal of satisfaction. And while she was their teacher she could forget all about the worries she had and focus solely on them, even on this day when her heart was heavy with pain.

"Is Link still not awake yet?" Fado shouted to Bo from the ranch and that was quick to catch Ilia's attention. It was almost midday.

"_Should I go and wake him?" _she thought to herself before quickly deciding against it. Even though she wanted to go to him she knew she probably wouldn't be able to handle it.

"It's okay, I'll go and get him." Rusl appeared with a troubled look on his face. Ilia froze at seeing his expression and feelings of guilt soon overwhelmed her.

"_Rusl… Was Link right? Is there something wrong out there?" _she soon found herself thinking and waited anxiously as Rusl called a hawk and promptly sent it to wake Link. She tried to tear her focus away from what was going on and go back to teaching the children but it was impossible. For once she couldn't focus on her job, especially when Link came rushing into the village to meet with Rusl.

"Link, I have some news. Let's go and speak with Bo," Rusl said and the two soon began walking over to Ilia's house. She gasped in horror and knew she had to listen to what was going to be said.

"Guys, you'll be alright without me for a moment right?" Ilia asked the kids.

"Of course!" Beth smiled. They were all busy with reading their various books and hadn't noticed the situation around them. Ilia jumped to her feet and ran over to her home just in time to hear what Rusl was telling her father.

"Link has been having some strange feelings recently, like he knows something is going to wrong out there," Rusl started.

"Oh?" Bo raised his eyebrows and wondered what was going on. He had heard his daughter sneak out late last night and knew where she was going to go. He also heard her creep back home and do everything in power not to wail her heart out.

"I wanted to put his mind at rest so I called on some old friends to do a little digging. It turns out he may be on to something," Rusl sighed and Link gasped in shock.

"Where? What happened?" he frantically asked. Ilia watched the worry enter into his eyes and felt even worse for what she had said to him the night before. She wished he didn't have to be so caring and selfless to all the people he met to the point he would put his life on the line for them but then that was one of the things she loved about him. She knew that wherever the problem was he would be the first one there to try and set things straight.

"Death Mountain," Rusl replied. Bo understood why Rusl had come to tell him what was going on.

"Ah, the Gorons…" Bo sighed. Link looked intently as he waited for Rusl to explain what had happened.

"Have you ever heard of a Goron called Darmani?" Rusl asked Bo. He thought for a moment about that name. It was certainly a name he had heard somewhere before but it definitely wasn't a Goron that was currently part of the Goron race. But then he also wondered if Rusl had gotten the name wrong.

"Are you sure you don't mean Darunia? The legendary Sage of Fire?" Bo asked.

"No, it was definitely Darmani," Rusl replied. "I don't think the Gorons would be in such an uproar if the Sage of Fire appeared to them."

"Yes you're right…" Bo said and then thought about it again. _"Darmani… It's certainly familiar…"_

"Who is Darmani? What's going on?" Link finally snapped, impatient to hear what had happened to the Gorons.

"The Gorons are in an upheaval because a foreign Goron named Darmani suddenly appeared in Kakariko Village," Rusl answered.

"Foreign Gorons appear all the time. What did this Darmani do?" Bo then asked.

"Darmani is supposed to have died hundreds of years ago," Rusl said and then Bo finally realised where he had heard the name from.

"You don't mean… Darmani of Termina do you?!" he gaped.

"Termina?" Rusl whispered and all colour left his face.

"What's Termina?" Link asked.

"It's said to be the land of our enemies," Rusl explained. Link felt a wave of anguish wash over him.

"Does Her Majesty know?" he soon asked. Rusl shook his head.

"Are they sure it's Darmani?" Bo then asked.

"Oh that's another thing," Rusl continued. "Whoever this Goron is, he won't say a word. He hasn't spoken to anyone since they captured him. They've been relentlessly questioning him for days but he just won't speak."

"How strange…" Bo whispered. "Perhaps we should meet with the Gorons?"

"Are you sure that's wise?" Rusl remembered what had happened the last time something went badly wrong for the Gorons. It was why Darbus was so wary of outsiders entering the city.

"Link and I have good relations with the Gorons. They will speak to us, especially as Link is the one who sensed this troubling situation," Bo suggested. Rusl nodded in agreement just as a hawk flew in and delivered a message to him.

"It would seem the Gorons have decided to take their intruder to Her Majesty. You had better hurry if you want to catch up to them," Rusl informed them. "I will stay here and watch over the village." Bo turned to go into his home to collect supplies while Link turned around to go back to his house and almost slammed straight into Ilia.

"Woah!" he gasped as he steadied himself.

"Link…" she whispered, not able to bring herself to look at him. It wasn't just because she felt bad for him but also because it was too painful for her. She didn't know if he would come back alive this time.

"Don't worry about me," Link smiled at her. "Please take care of the kids. Don't let them suffer like they had to before." Ilia smiled back and nodded while he ran off to collect Epona.

"Please come back alive…" she whispered. For all they knew this situation could amount to nothing. It could be that this foreign Goron just looked like the one known as Darmani. It could just be one massive misunderstanding. But it could also be a massive trap and Link was about to walk straight into it alongside her father. She instantly chased all thoughts like that out of her mind and returned to the children.

"Why is Link and your dad suddenly running around like that?" Talo asked on her return. Ilia forced a relaxed expression to her face and gave him a warm smile.

"They need to visit the Queen," she replied.

"Huuuuuuh?" Beth whined. "Link only just came back! And now he's leaving again?" Colin narrowed his eyes as he watched Ilia.

"Why do they need to see the Queen?" he asked. "My dad looks kind of worried too. Did something happen?" Ilia fidgeted a little as she tried to come up with a response. Colin was far more shrewd than the other children.

"Father says they must meet with one of her guests…" Ilia muttered, unsure of how else she was supposed to put it. Colin didn't buy her explanation for one second and quickly got to his feet.

"Can I take a walk for a bit?" he asked with Ilia knowing exactly where he was going. She slowly nodded and watched him walk in the direction of Link's house. The other children instantly started complaining that they wanted to say goodbye to Link too but Ilia couldn't let them go yet. Colin had to go alone otherwise Link would never explain himself properly. That said, Colin had no idea what he was going to say to Link. He always pretended to be oblivious as the other children were as to what was going on with him but he knew something was on Link's mind. He knew something was very wrong. As he approached Link's house he started to get nervous. This was the guy he looked up to, the guy who gave him all the courage and inspiration he needed to be brave and the guy he could always approach in the past. On this occasion, he felt apprehensive. For the first time in his life, he had no idea what to say to the guy he called his hero. When Link emerged from his home equipped with his Hylian shield and silver knight's sword, Colin felt his heart pounding in his chest as he worked up the courage to say something to him.

"Hey Colin," Link smiled as he passed him by. Colin smiled back and then took a deep breath.

"Are you leaving again?" he quickly asked. Link gave him a sad look and then began to lead Epona out from her stable.

"Yeah, I have to leave again," he replied. Colin looked to the ground and felt a sadness wash over him.

"Do you know when you'll be able to come back?" he then asked.

"No," Link quickly answered. "I know you're probably going to ask why I have to leave again. What did Ilia tell you?"

"She said you and her father need to meet a guest of Her Majesty's," he answered.

"That's right," Link nodded. "But then you're more observant than the other kids. You've noticed something isn't right."

"Yeah… You haven't been alright for a long time..." Colin whispered. "Will you be okay where you're going?"

"I'll be fine," Link smiled and then walked over to him and patted him on the head. Colin gasped a little at that. He couldn't remember the last time he had had a proper conversation with Link where he gave him reassurances like this. "Take care of Ilia for me."

"I will," he smiled back.

"Colin, I know you all want me to stay and be that big brother I used to be to you all. But please don't think for one second that I've stopped being a big brother to you. I just have to do it in a different way to before the war," Link said.

"Why does it have to be different?" Colin whispered.

"Because the world is different in my eyes now. Before the war nothing was ever going to disturb our peace and we were all going to live happily ever after as though it was a fairytale. Everything changed in an instant. You, Ilia and everyone else were snatched away so quickly. The pain you all went through just broke my heart. To see your parents so worried for your safety, not knowing whether you guys were alive or not was awful. When I saw you guys so terrified for your lives in a living nightmare in Kakariko Village, I would have given anything to trade places with you. Even Ilia suffered a great deal… I never want to see any of you suffer like that again. Last time it wasn't until the monsters came that we knew something was wrong. This time I'm not going to let it come to that. I'll take them down before they even set foot in this village." Colin was so awestruck by his words. He had no idea Link felt that way. He had no idea the war had affected him that deeply.

"Link… I…" he stammered, trying to find the right words. "I'm glad we have a big brother like you protecting us… No matter where you are…" Link was satisfied that he had put the boy's mind at rest. He had never intended to make anyone feel like he didn't need them anymore but then he didn't want anyone to be burdened with the thought that he was constantly out there risking his life all for their sake. At that point, Bo, Rusl and Ilia appeared along with all the other children of the village.

"Link why are you leaving again?" Talo groaned running to his side and grabbing his leg. Link laughed and gently prised him off.

"I'll try and come back soon," he promised.

"You have to go and see Her Majesty again right?" Beth asked.

"Is she your girlfriend or something?" Malo asked with squinted eyes causing Ilia to choke.

"Don't be silly," Link laughed. "I have work to do, that's all."

"That's right. There is very important work ahead. Link and I must leave immediately if we are to get to the castle in time!" Bo told the children. Both Bo and Link mounted their horses and were riding away as fast as they could. The children's goodbyes echoed through the air until they passed Ordona Spring and they faded away soon after they crossed the bridge into Faron Province. Link's nerves were on edge as they rode. He hadn't heard much about the land of Termina and how it was supposed to be the land of Hyrule's enemies in the past. He did know there were lands other than Hyrule in the world but it didn't seem like it was common knowledge that there was a land that hated them as Termina did.

"Is this Darmani someone we should be worried about?" he soon asked Bo.

"Darmani was supposed to be fiercest warrior of all the Gorons in Termina. He is not someone to be taken lightly," Bo replied.

"Have you been to Termina?"

"No, never. It's a land Hylians are forbidden from entering because it's said the Terminans will instantly slay any intruder from Hyrule," he said.

"Why is it the land of our enemies?"

"There is no clear explanation about that," Bo answered. "No one knows when we last interacted with the Terminans but no one dares to travel to Termina to find out what goes on there due to their supposed hatred for us." Link pondered very deeply on that. He couldn't believe there was a land like that out there. It all seemed very strange to him that such a tale would exist. But then perhaps that's what his uneasy feeling had been about this whole time.

"_Are the people of Termina trying to start a war with us?" _he thought to himself.

"By the way," Bo said, breaking Link's chain of thought. "I heard what you told Colin. I'm glad to hear you care about us so much but please don't kill yourself for our sake. We would never forgive ourselves if anything ever happened to you." Link didn't reply to that. He felt a huge sense of duty towards the village that took him in and raised him. He had no intention of arguing with Bo by telling them he wasn't going to die or that this duty was easy. And Bo knew that telling Link to take it easy was useless but he gave it a try anyway.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi everyone! Thanks to my followers! It really means a lot! :D And now on to Chapter 3! The plot can get moving now :)**

It was quite a sight to see Link and Bo bursting through Castle Town on their horses and charging to the castle in the hopes that they had caught Darbus in time before he saw Zelda. They had agreed that Bo would speak with Darbus while Link would tell Zelda what was happening. They were both in for a surprise when they found that they had managed to beat the Gorons to the castle. Bo waited for Darbus outside the castle gates while Link went to meet with Zelda. He found himself getting nervous about that prospect. He knew she was ultimately his boss and everyone implied that they saw each other all the time but that wasn't the case. He rarely saw her. And when he did, he was always nervous and flustered. He felt his palms go sweaty and his heart beat faster. He quickly shook those feelings away and concentrated on the job at hand. The castle guard saw him approaching they immediately sent word to the Queen that he had arrived and he felt his heart jump. It had been a while since he saw her. And it had been a while since he'd turned up bringing bad news.

"Link of Ordon you say?" Zelda gasped when her attendant passed her the message.

"Yes Your Majesty," he replied. Zelda sighed in disbelief.

"Alright, send him in," she said. _"How did he know to come here?" _She stood and watched the doors open and a familiar green figure soon walked into her throne room. She smiled fondly at the sight of him. She found herself somewhat excited about seeing him again. She watched as he approached her throne and bowed before her.

"It's been a while," he timidly said as he rose and looked at her.

"Indeed," she smiled. "They said you had something to tell me. Is it about the Twili?" she then asked. Link gaped at her wondering what on earth she was talking about. She instantly realised this.

"I-I came to tell you about the Gorons actually…" he replied. Zelda then sighed.

"I see… Well I suppose I should explain myself. Or rather, I'll let an old friend explain herself." Zelda's shadow flickered and all of a sudden a very familiar figure slid out from it and materialised. Link was speechless at the sight before him. The Twilight Princess in all her glory was stood before him.

"How…? What…?" he stuttered, causing Midna to burst out laughing.

"I see he hasn't lost the gift of speech," she cackled. Even Zelda laughed at the confused young man.

"What's going on?" Link sternly asked. It wasn't that he wasn't happy to see her. If Midna was here then he had been right all along. Something had gone very wrong in the world. The laughter from Zelda and Midna quickly faded and they got serious.

"Someone found a way to unlock the Twilight Realm," Midna explained. "But it didn't happen in Hyrule. It happened elsewhere."

"Was it in Termina?" Link instantly asked. Zelda's eyes widened in surprise but she soon remembered that he himself had something to say.

"What did you want to say about the Gorons?" Zelda asked.

"They're on their way here. Apparently a Goron from Termina has shown up, one called Darmani. He's supposed to be dead," Link replied. Zelda nodded to herself and then looked to Midna.

"Do you think it was him?" she asked. Midna shook her head.

"Whoever unlocked the Twilight Realm managed to take control of one small part of it and they're using my people to cause some trouble. I came here to make sure the light world would be alright and to be ready to take down whoever it was who unlocked it to begin with," Midna told them. "This 'Darmani' is most likely a pawn sent to cause trouble. The part of the Realm that has been taken over isn't enough to cover the land in Twilight as Zant did but it's enough to cause misery to some of Hyrule's citizens."

"Has there been some trouble?" Link asked Zelda. She looked away from him in sorrow.

"In a few parts, yes. But it is being contained," she said. Link shot her a piercing glare.

"Why didn't you tell me? Why did you send me home?" he demanded.

"Because you needed to rest. You were burning out," she replied. It was a reasonable explanation but not one Link was satisfied with.

"You should have told me!" he snapped.

"The last thing I need is for my best warrior to be out of action because he's overdoing it. You work too hard Link. I was worried about you," she softly told him, attempting to pacify his anger and it worked to some degree. Soon enough they were interrupted by the arrival of Bo and the Gorons. Zelda immediately granted them permission to enter while Midna hid back into her shadow. Link turned and saw Bo and Darbus walking side by side while a huge group of Gorons trailing close behind holding the chains that bound their prisoner. Link tilted his head to get a look at Darmani. The chains were tightly wrapped around his hands and feet to prevent him to rolling away or punching his way free. There was also an odd look of fear on his face. Bo had said Darmani was the fiercest of the Goron warriors but this did not look anything like a warrior. It looked like a child who had wandered into the wrong part of town and was being brought home to his parents by the authorities.

"Your Majesty, I am sorry for this sudden arrival," Darbus said, bowing before her as he spoke. Zelda stood up and approached him.

"It's alright Darbus," she smiled to him. "This is obviously something of a huge concern to you if you brought your prisoner here."

"This foreigner is from the land of Hyrule's enemies! We had to bring him here for your judgment!" Darbus stated. Zelda nodded as Darbus and Bo stepped to one side for Zelda to approach Darmani. Link also stepped forward and walked alongside Zelda. He couldn't be sure that Darmani wasn't going to suddenly break free and attack her.

"Are you Darmani?" Zelda asked. Darmani said nothing and only looked back at her in fear.

"The prisoner refuses to speak or answer any of our questions," Darbus told her. Zelda sighed as she too had noticed the strange demeanor of this supposed warrior. He didn't stand tall and proud as Darbus did. He was nothing like any Goron she had ever seen.

"If you are not Darmani or from the land of Termina, you need to speak now," Zelda said. Darmani looked back in fear and opened his mouth. The Gorons braced themselves in anticipation for what he was about to say but all that came out was a voiceless breath, much to the disappointment of all in the room. Link then suddenly saw his shadow flicker as Zelda's had moments earlier.

"_What?" _he gasped. _"Midna went into Zelda's shadow… I'm sure she did!"_ All of a sudden a Twili figure jumped out of his shadow and put its face in Darmani's.

"I'VE FOUND YOU!" it squealed in delight. All the Goron's jumped back in shock while Link and Bo both drew swords and pointed it to the young Twili.

"Wait!" Zelda shouted, causing everyone to freeze and calming the situation down. The Twili soon turned around and everyone finally got a good look at her. She wasn't very old and looked as though she was about 15 years old. She had violet coloured hair tied back in a ponytail similar to the way Midna had worn hers in her imp form and had a greyish blue coloured face like Midna's and was dressed in a similar way to Midna, although her hood was down. The fringe of her hair covered her left eye while her right bright orange eye went bug-eyed in embarrassment.

"S-Sorry! I didn't mean to scare you all!" she stuttered, completely embarrassed by her entrance. "I'm Keely by the way!" At this point Zelda's shadowed flickered once more and a furious Midna emerged.

"Keely! What are you doing?!" she bellowed. Keely froze in shock and then blushed bright red.

"H-Hi there Princess! I'm sorry about this!" Keely stuttered again as Midna glared at her.

"Why are you here Keely?" Midna sighed in irritation.

"I've found her! I've finally found her!" Keely excited replied while pointing at Darmani.

"You mean to say this Goron is a girl?" Midna asked.

"Goron?" Keely gaped and then turned and looked at Darmani again.

"Keely…" Midna growled. "Make those eyes of your see what the rest of us see!" Keely closed her eyes and when she opened them again, she was baffled.

"Oh! Darmani! Haha!" Keely giggled. "You thought she was Darmani!"

"KEELY!" Midna then roared, making her jump.

"Who is this?" Zelda asked, somewhat amused by Midna.

"I guess you could say she's my apprentice," Midna answered. "Keely, if this isn't Darmani then who is it?"

"It's Princess Lumina!" Keely smiled. Zelda gasped and then took another look at the Darmani while all the other Gorons watched silently and intently. They had no idea what was going on but the mystery of Darmani was finally going to be solved.

"Who is Lumina?" Midna then asked, finally regaining her composure.

"The Princess of Termina of course! Don't you remember her?" Keely blinked in confusion. Zelda just stood gaping at Darmani. She and Link shared a look and both had the same thought. It truly did look like Termina was attempting to cause some trouble in Hyrule.

"I remember her Keely… I just don't remember her being a Goron," Midna said.

"Haha! Yeah!" Keely grinned and then turned to face Darmani again. "Let's take this mask off shall we?" She reached out and grabbed Darmani's face and then quite literally pulled it off. The chains that were binding Darmani fell to the ground and in one flash of light, the giant Goron was replaced by a little girl.

"This… Is this Princess Lumina?" Zelda whispered, staring at the girl. The shock of Darmani's true identity radiated around the room. When Keely said it was actually Princess Lumina, none of them expected her to be a little girl aged around eight years old. Lumina's caramel coloured hair was tied back in two ponytails and her bright blue eyes looked utterly terrified of everyone in the room, which explained why Darmani looked so terrified. She wore a long sleeved lilac coloured shirt, the sleeves being a few inches too long for her arms and black leggings. She looked at Keely with a very desperate expression on her face.

"Is this a joke Keely?" Midna impatiently asked. Keely got a bit of a shock at Midna's question and then turned and looked at Lumina again.

"Huh?" she muttered. "Why are you so small?"

"Does she not see things as we do?" Zelda soon asked Midna.

"She has 'all-seeing' eyes. If something is an illusion or not how it is supposed to be, Keely will see right through it," Midna replied. "She often forgets that we can't see what she sees."

"Wow…" Zelda whispered and then looked to Keely again. Lumina didn't reply to Keely's question.

"Oh, a curse huh?" Keely sighed. Lumina stared back at Keely again, still saying nothing. "So that's why you're here huh?"

"She also hears things we don't always hear," Midna then said. "Keely, you do realise she isn't saying anything right?" Keely's head snapped to Midna's direction in shock and then she looked at Lumina once more. Lumina gave Keely yet another intense stare.

"No way!" Keely gasped. "And then what happened?" she asked Lumina. Midna felt herself getting impatient again but was soon soften by the desperate expression on Lumina's face.

"What is she saying Keely?" Midna asked.

"Something bad happened to her land…" Keely sadly replied. "Before she could call the sleeping guardians to help everyone, two guys suddenly appeared! One stole her voice and the other cursed her into this child form! She says they then ran into Hyrule and she came here to find them." There was a chilling silence as everyone stared down at Lumina. Zelda didn't know how to reply and Midna was quick to realise what the situation was.

"I thought it was you who unlocked the Twilight Realm," Midna sighed to Lumina.

"This explains why Darmani suddenly appeared! So he is in mask form! And you have no voice, therefore you couldn't answer our questions! It is all clear now!" Darbus exclaimed. Link stood silently as he watched the terrified little girl shiver in fear. He felt sorry for her. She was supposed to be the Princess of the land of Hyrule's enemies but he didn't see her like that. She was just a scared girl barely understanding the situation around her.

"Darbus… I am sorry for what you had to see here today. I'm sure you must be shocked," Zelda said.

"No more shocked than you are Your Majesty," Darbus smiled. "I suppose now that the danger to the Gorons has passed, you will be dealing with this human."

"We will be able to contain the situation from here on out. Should we require your help, I will send word straight away," Zelda then said.

"Until next time." Darbus bowed and he and his Gorons left, leaving only Link and Bo in the throne room.

"Link, I won't ask any questions… These… Shadow people are clearly ones you are familiar with," Bo whispered. Link smiled in appreciation for that.

"Is this young child really from the land of our mortal enemies?" Zelda sighed.

"Land of your enemies?!" Keely snorted. "But they think you're the land of their enemies!" After Keely said that it became instantly clear that Zelda needed to sit with Lumina and have a long chat about what had happened in Termina and exactly what their understanding was about Hyrule.

"Well what a mess this is…" Midna laughed. Lumina's fear was beginning to overbear her. She was soon shaking uncontrollably and gasping for air as she tried to hold back her tears.

"Hey now… Don't cry…" Keely called to her. Link slowly approached Lumina's side and crouched down to face her. She was in so much of a state that she didn't even notice him. He slowly reached out and put both hands on her shoulders, causing her to jump.

"Don't be scared," he softly whispered and then slowly drew her over and gave her a hug. Lumina froze in surprise and slowly stopped shaking. "No one is going to hurt you. We just need to talk to you. We need to find out what happened." Lumina felt an odd sense of calm in her heart for the first time in a while and slowly managed to get her thoughts together. Link slowly released her and then gently nudged her towards Zelda. Zelda too understood the difficult situation Lumina was in. She didn't want her to feel threatened in any way and so she approached her and held out her hand.

"Come, let's sit together and talk," she said. Lumina stared back up at Zelda's smile and was slightly mesmerised for a moment. For a princess who was supposed to be her mortal enemy, she looked so angelic. She slowly reached out and took Zelda's hand. They had a lot to talk about and Zelda had no idea where she was going to start.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi all! Quite a bit of dialogue in this chapter but it will get the story moving a little more. Hope you enjoy :)**

Zelda led Lumina into a smaller room in the castle in order to make her feel more at ease and less intimidated. Bo knew this was something he couldn't help with and left the castle to rest up. Lumina sat in this new room constantly fidgeting and was very unsure of herself. Keely was sat next to her while Link, Zelda and Midna all sat opposite her.

"Keely, you mustn't forget you're our interpreter. You need to tell us everything she says," Midna firmly reminded her. Keely nodded, still quite peppy despite everything that was going on.

"So we already understand that your land has been in trouble. Do you know who unlocked the Twilight Realm?" Zelda asked. Lumina shook her head.

"Another Mirror of Twilight was found in the land of Termina. Lumina promised to bury the Mirror and ensure it was never misused but it seems like someone else knew about it too," Midna said.

"So that's why you thought she unlocked the Realm," Zelda whispered.

"What about you two?" Midna asked Keely. "You seem very familiar with each other. I never sent you to look for Lumina yet you were very concerned about her whereabouts."

"Well… About that…" Keely blushed in embarrassment. "I used to visit her a lot in Termina. We're good friends!"

"How did you even get to Termina without the Mirror?" Midna then asked.

"Th-That power that you said I shouldn't use… Er…" Keely soon trailed off as Midna's eyes flared in fury.

"Keely I told you these powers aren't toys!" Midna snapped.

"I'm sorry!" Keely squealed. "But I really wanted to see the light world and Lumina was really nice! We hang out all the time! And well… When I heard there was trouble in Termina, I had to make sure she was alright!"

"Then what were you doing in Link's shadow?" Midna growled and Keely blushed in embarrassment once again.

"I recognised him from the description you gave us of the Hero of Hyrule," she smirked. "And I thought that if I tagged along with him for a bit then I would surely find Lumina!"

"Keely…." Midna glared.

"So it was you in my house last night…" Link laughed. "It all makes sense now."

"I didn't mean to wake you up! I'm sorry!" Keely blushed again. Link shrugged it off.

"It's not the first time a Twili has made use of me," he grinned and Midna rolled her eyes.

"Alright… Let's get back on track…" Midna said and then looked to Zelda.

"Lumina, it is said that Termina is the land of Hyrule's enemies and that any Hylian who enters Termina will be killed instantly. Is this true? And what is said about Hyrule in Termina?" Zelda asked. Lumina stared at Keely while giving her response.

"She said the people of Termina are scared of Hylians for the very same reason and that it's forbidden to enter Hyrule. In fact the second she entered Hyrule someone tried to kill her. She said she's lucky she managed to get away," Keely said.

"I'm sorry about that…" Zelda whispered. "But that isn't normal. We don't just kill people randomly just because they're from Termina. You saw the Gorons here didn't kill you."

"She said she understands that now. And she says that it's the same in Termina."

"Then there has been a great misunderstanding," Zelda said. "You mentioned something about sleeping guardians earlier. Can you tell me a little bit about them?"

"There are four Giants in Termina who watch over the land and keep everyone safe. As Princess, Lumina can summon them if she sings their calling song and they will awaken and fight for Termina if necessary," Keely said.

"And the mask? You turned into a Goron with a mask?" Zelda asked.

"She has three masks with this kind of power. She says they belonged to a legendary hero who saved Termina from a great calamity and that no one knew he did it until his masks were found. Many had strange powers but the three she keeps with her transform her into three different beings: A Deku Scrub, a Goron named Darmani and a Zora named Mikau. There's also another mask that will transform someone into a White Warrior but she says that one is sealed away and another song she has to sing will release the seal," Keely replied.

"That's interesting…" Zelda muttered. "It would seem whoever stole your voice was trying to prevent you from calling the sleeping Giants."

"She says she's worried about her land. It wasn't looking good when she left it and without the awakened Giants she doesn't know if anyone is even still alive," Keely sadly said. Zelda felt a great deal of empathy for Lumina. She knew what it was like to watch a Kingdom suffer while sitting back powerlessly.

"What if you went back now? Would you be able to help?" Zelda asked.

"She can't go back until she finds the people who cursed her and stole her voice," Keely said.

"Well I suppose I understand that," Midna whispered, remembering how she refused to return to her people until her own curse was lifted.

"She wants me to assure you that she isn't here to start a war. In fact she doesn't even want to be here. All she wants is to find her voice and go back home so she can go and help everyone," Keely then said.

"I understand," Zelda smiled. "We don't want a war either. Perhaps we can clear up this misconception that our lands have to be enemies."

"She would like that."

"Is it safe to assume the people who cursed you are hiding in Hyrule?" Lumina nodded.

"She says she chased them this way and they're definitely here."

"Do you have any idea where you might be able to find them?" Zelda then asked.

"She said she doesn't know this land at all and is just going by instinct. Although it's your instinct that got you caught out by the Gorons you know!" Keely then grinned at Lumina, who puffed her cheeks in embarrassment.

"What do you mean?" Midna asked.

"She thought she could blend in at Death Mountain with her Goron Mask and that no one would notice she was an outsider. Too bad the mask is the legendary Darmani!" Keely cackled as Lumina puffed her cheeks even bigger. Midna and Zelda both laughed while Link silently stared at the girl. There was a great sadness in her eyes and she couldn't hide it no matter how hard she tried. He wondered exactly what had happened to her land and exactly what she had seen but couldn't bring himself to ask her. He assumed it would probably upset her if she had to think too much about it.

"How are those masks even made? I mean… How did Darmani become a mask?" Link asked instead. Lumina looked at him and then blinked in confusion. Soon enough she focused again and then stared at Keely to give her answer.

"According to the stories, the legendary hero soothed the trouble hearts of those who failed to fulfill goals or dreams with a song and with those masks, he took the form of those troubled ones and fulfilled their dreams in their place," Keely replied. Something clicked in Link's brain as Keely explained that.

"A song…" he mumbled. "Lumina, you need to sing a song to call the Giants right?" Lumina nodded. "And you said there was another to release the seal on another mask. Now you say there's a song that heals troubled hearts. Do you know it?"

"She does! It's conveniently called the Song of Healing," Keely laughed.

"Lumina, it seems like your voice was stolen for a number of reasons. If someone else was to sing any of these songs would the Giants awaken? Would the seal on that mask release?" Link then asked. Lumina shook her head.

"Only the Luminary holds this power," Keely said.

"Luminary?"

"When someone is named the Luminary of Termina, they become Prince Lumiere or in this case Princess Lumina. There isn't really a Royal Family in Termina," Keely explained. "Naming a Luminary isn't the oldest tradition in Termina. But it was made to ensure that anyone who called the Giants or released the mask was worthy and approved to do so because they were judged to not abuse the powers of either." Zelda was impressed with the way Termina was run and could clearly see Lumina was not a bad person at all. Her heart was full of worry for her people.

"Well then, let's find a way to lift your curse," Zelda smiled.

"We should stick with the hero guy for a while," Keely quickly suggested while pointing at Link.

"Is that your idea or Lumina's idea?" Midna asked.

"It's mine!" Keely said. "Because I stuck to him, I found Lumina! If Lumina sticks to him, she'll find the people who cursed her!" Link saw how she reached that conclusion but he wasn't sure if it would really work.

"Okay, I don't mind helping you look them but I'm not a magnet for crazy guys who curse people alright?" he groaned. Keely giggled at that. Link once again looked to Lumina and felt something strange about her. It wasn't anything bad. He didn't sense that she was a betrayer or that she had some ulterior motive. It was something he couldn't work out. Lumina in turn had a strange feeling about Link. He reminded her of someone in her past.

"Keely might have a point though…" Midna said. "Link is pretty useful." Zelda paused for a moment to think about it.

"Well I suppose you'll want to go and clear up some of those messes I told you about," Zelda said. "If you take Lumina along with you, you might bump into the people she's looking for. You'll be able to help her fight back if they try and attack her."

"Lumina says she can fight too!" Keely shouted.

"Alight," Midna quickly answered.

"Anyway, if Lumina goes with Link I want to go too! I have to look out for Lumina, she's my friend! And what if there are any Twilit monsters around? You'll need me to deal with them!" Keely then insisted. Midna glared at her for a moment.

"I can't be in two places at once…" Midna whispered. "Alright Keely, you can go with them. But remember, your powers are not toys! Use them carefully!"

"I will! I promise! Lumina! We'll find the guys who cursed you! We'll beat them down!" Keely exclaimed. Lumina smiled for the first time at Keely's words. "Aww you don't have to thank me! Thank the hero guy who agreed to take care of us!... She does thank you by the way," she then told Link, who just laughed.

"Where do we need to go first then?" Link asked. Zelda looked at the map on the wall of the room and began to think where he would be best utilised first. Since the Twilight War, several new villages had been establish in Hyrule. It was in an Age of Prosperity as a result. But the first place she wanted him to travel to was somewhere he was very familiar with.

"Start at Zora's Domain. You may have noticed our water supply is dwindling again. Please make sure we don't get into a drought again," Zelda instructed. Link nodded and then stood up and faced Lumina.

"Shall we get going?" he smiled as he held out his hand for her. Lumina shyly nodded and took his hand while Keely jumped into Lumina's shadow.

"Link, be careful out there. And don't overdo it," Zelda called to him. Link smiled and waved goodbye to her while Lumina stared back at Zelda with a vacant expression as they exited the room.

"It looks like he's changed a lot," Midna laughed when he was out of the room.

"He's too kind for his own good. He just won't rest properly," Zelda sighed with a sad look in her eyes. Midna caught on to the great concern and just laughed to herself. She always knew Link was a hard worker but it seemed like he was taking it to a new extreme.

"He wants to be everywhere at once to protect the world. Or maybe it's someone else he's working hard to protect," Midna said. Zelda said nothing in response and just sighed again.

"Now he has two children to mind. One is terrified of the world around her, the other is overly hyperactive. How do you think he'll fare?"

"He'll be fine with Keely," Zelda laughed. "And he seems to have developed a connection with Lumina. She seems to be more at ease with him than she is with anyone else. He calmed her down instantly."

"This is true…" Midna muttered, thinking back to how he hugged her and gently soothed her when she was about to hyperventilate.

"So tell me about Keely," Zelda then smirked and Midna let out a huge groan.

"I love that child as though she was my little sister but she can be a trial sometimes!" Midna said, making Zelda laugh again. "She's a very powerful Twili but she's also very innocent. Many Twili hid away their children when Zant and Ganondorf took over in order to protect them from being used as pawns. Keely was one of them. After I returned to the Twilight Realm, I found out about this and I also found that while most of the children thankfully return home to their parents, Keely's parents weren't so lucky."

"Oh…" Zelda whispered, feeling a pain in her heart.

"I was later told that Zant knew about Keely's talents and killed her parents in punishment for hiding her from them. Keely is very modest about her talents and is fascinated by what she can do. She doesn't show them off or laud them over others but, as you can probably tell, subtlety is not her strong point. Whenever she discovers she has an ability, she just has to try it out," Midna explained.

"And you say she's your apprentice?" Zelda then asked.

"Keely had no one to go back to after peace returned to Twilight and I felt a sense of responsibility towards what happened to her. I also decided that I wanted her to use her powers responsibly and not abusively. I didn't want to breed another Zant. She has mostly been very accepting of that happened during Zant's reign and she's happy to use her powers to help people because many Twili adults put their lives on the line to help her. All in all she's a good kid. I do extend a lot of favouritism to her if I'm honest," Midna smiled.

"I can tell," Zelda said. "She knows how to unlock the Twilight Realm without the Mirror and she can take on a physical form in the Light World. Only you could have granted her those abilities."

"That's right," Midna nodded. "I just hope that someone doesn't take Keely and misuse the power she has. That's why I was happy to send her away with Link. I know she'll be well taken care of with him." Zelda smiled in agreement and the two looked out of the window just in time to see Link and Lumina departing the castle, both hoping a peaceful solution would come out of this.


End file.
